Republican state Sen. David Boutin said Tuesday he will not seek re-election this year to represent District 16, which includes Bow, Dunbarton, Candia, Hooksett and parts of Manchester.
“It’s my feeling the seat doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to the people,” said Boutin, a former independent contractor who was first elected to the senate in a special election in 2010. Boutin cited family responsibilities and a new granddaughter as the chief reasons he won’t seek a fourth full term. His departure means six of 24 Senate seats will be up for grabs in the next election.
“I am very privileged and honored to have served. Now it will be someone else’s turn,” he said.
Boutin of Hooksett currently chairs the Capital Budget and Ways and Means committees. He has become known as a champion for victims of domestic violence, and has backed several bills meant to limit child abuse and neglect. In the wake of two recent high-profile toddler deaths, Boutin has led a state commission that is examining child fatalities in the hopes of finding legislative fixes.
Boutin has also broken with his party on major issues at the State House, and twice voted to expand Medicaid.
Those moves have drawn criticism from others within the GOP. In 2014, Boutin narrowly defeated a Republican primary challenger, who hammered the Hooksett Senator for supporting a four cent increase in the state gas tax.
Boutin said Tuesday he is proud of his record.
“I feel like I am at the top of my game now,” he said. “I have gotten a lot of things accomplished in the Senate.”
Boutin is the latest senator to announce he won’t seek another term. Democratic Sen. Molly Kelly told the Keene Sentinel on Monday that she won’t seek a sixth term in Concord. Recently Democrat David Pierce also said he will not run again.
On the Republican side, several senators are vacating their seats to run for or take other offices. Meredith Sen. Jeanie Forrester is running for governor, Kingston Sen. Russell Prescott is mounting a bid for Executive Council and Weare Sen. Jerry Little has been confirmed as the state’s new banking commissioner.
Republicans currently have a 14-10 majority over Democrats in the chamber. The filing period for candidates runs June 1 to June 10.
Some are already expressing interest in Boutin’s seat. Republican Rep. JR Hoell of Dunbarton is exploring a run for Senate, according to his website. Hoell, now in his third term, has backed bills this session to repeal a 25-foot buffer zone around abortion clinics and a license requirement for carrying concealed guns.
Boutin’s announcement not to seek another term, Hoell said, is “pleasant news.”
Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley of Meredith said the chamber is losing a “terrific senator.”
“There’s nobody that works harder than Dave,” he said.
(This story has been updated to correct an editing error. There are 24 seats in the Senate, not 22. Allie Morris can be reached at 369-3307 or at amorris@cmonitor.com.)